Hot Pot and Warm Feelings
by meteordehyde
Summary: It was winter and Yankumi had had a good time. Of course, the hot pot warmed her stomach. But Sawada's sudden arrival warmed her heart. Just read this fanfic, okay? Hehe...


Hot Pot and Warm Feelings

(by Meteordehyde)

Gokusen is not mine, nor are the characters...but making fanfic for my two now-fave couple is my passion... :) and I also based my story on the JDorama, since I had not read the manga nor seen the anime.

Summary: It was winter and Yankumi had had a good time. Of course, the hot pot warmed her stomach. But Sawada's sudden arrival warmed her heart. Just read this fanfic, okay? Hehe...

Minuro stood up as he waited for Yankumi to finish eating. Tonight, he was assigned to wash the dishes. He enjoyed seeing his Ojou enjoy the hot pot's soup, slurping every drop there is, tasting the ambrosia that gave delight to everybody that cold winter night. Kuroda chuckled at the sight of his granddaughter. He had never seen her that happy over a meal like this. Of course, Kumiko, or Yankumi, as she was fondly called by her students, was always happy during mealtime. But tonight was different.

Yankumi heaved a sigh of satisfaction and contentment. She then grinned at her grandfather, the 3rd generation leader of the Oedo Clan, a highly-respected Yakuza group in the underground Japanese gang world.

"Hmmm...It seems to me, Kumiko, that something must have made you this happy tonight."

Yankumi let out a sheepeish "eh?" to her grandfather's remarks. "But ojisan, I am always happy during mealtime. I am happy that we are eating hot pot together. I am happy because everyone is here", she replied as eyed her grandfather with such questioning eyes. She never understood why. But inside her, she was indeed happy. There was this certain feeling of happiness she felt inside that night that even she could not explain.

Tetsu eyed the object of his affection. Ah, even he could not decipher why his beloved Ojou was happy. But he felt a bit apprehensive. Somehow, he felt that someone from Ojou's past would come that night. It had been years since Tetsu was convinced that he was in love with Yankumi. Somehow, the heiress had no idea that her henchman had feelings for her. Then there was Sawada Shin, Yankumi's favorite student from her very first class. He too had admitted that he was in love with her. He said his revelation when Tetsu, Shinohara asnd his co-detective talked amongst themselves that they were rivals for her love. Ah, Yankumi, ever so naïve that there were men around her seeing her as their goddess of beauty.

"Ojou, did you like the soup?" Testu asked hopefully.

"_Hai_. It was delicious tonight."

"I cooked it."

"_Sou desu ne_? You're really a good cook, Tetsu. I'm sure your future wife will be so proud to have you as husband!" Yankumi said happily.

Tetsu felt his heart skip a beat. Kuroda blinked and eyed Minuro. They all knew of Testu's seemingly unrequited love for Ojou. The Oedo head didn't mind this though. But he sensed that anything Kumiko will say will really flatter the henchman. Kyou and Wakamatsu tried to suppress their laugh. It was always fun to see Tetsu blush and be like a teenager in front of Ojou.

Yankumi seated herself beside Kuroda. He was holding a small cup and beside him was a bottle of sake. It was winter break, and Yankumi decided to join her grandpa tonight for a drink. They talked about many things: the economy, weather, politics, and the Oedo business, though in his heart, Kuroda knew that Yankumi would never want to inherit it.

Th snow had fallen softly that night, and Yankumi enjoyed every minute that the snowflakes fell. She happen to rest her eyes on the gate and saw someone standing outside.

"Ojisan, I think we have a late-night visitor. I'll go see who that is." For it was unusual for someone to drop by her house at such an ungodly hour, unless of course if it were Odagiri's group at Kurogin, Kazama, or Sawada.

She then went to open the gate. And how her eyes widened with surprise when she saw standing there was no other than Sawada Shin himself.

"_Konbanwa_, Yankumi..." he greeted his former homeroom teacher. His raspy voice pervaded Yankumi's ears. The twinge of delight she felt grew even more. She hugged her former student and bade him come inside. It had been five years since Sawada traveled to Africa, and Yankumi was eager to hear stories about the foreign continent. Questions were bombarded to the Shirokin valedictorian, with which he answered calmly. Yet, even with the questioning, Sawada felt happy inside. The reason for his coming back to Japan was right before his eyes. While still in Africa, he was still thinking of her, and he felt every single day that this was not mere infatuation for his high school teacher. This was something else. Of course, as the saying goes "absence makes one's heart grow fonder". Yet, something stopped him. He didn't want their friendship to be broken. He valued this so much that it hurts sometimes thinking of letting Yankumi go from his grasp. He had decide to enter Keio univeristy, where he'd take up law. He wanted to be a Yakuza lawyer so that he'd be close to her.

He was led inside the yakuza house, which he felt was like a second home to him. Unlike his cold apartment, this place was better. Even though the people residing were dangerous people as far as Japanese citizens were concerned, but for Sawada, he felt he belonged. He wished his family was like this. But this was not so. His father, a famous senator, almost always spent his time trying to impress his constituents than making his family happy. It was because of this that Shin grew to hate the elder Sawada. The climax was when in first year high school, the younger Sawada was expelled due to assault of a teacher, which he deemed right and had no regrets, but was condemned by the senator. Kuroda gave his visitor a hug. He had been fond of his granddaughter's student just as he was fond of Odagiri, Tsuchiya and gang, and Kazama and associates. Yet, Sawada was different. He was the first student to learn of Yankumi's family background, and Kuroda had the young man make a promise not to let anybody know.

"Sawada, I'll have a room prepared for you. Have you eaten dinner yet?" Yankumi asked.

"_Hai. _ I had eaten over at Kuma's. I just arrived at 6 this evening, and I was so hungry that the only place I know where I can find food is at the ramen shop."

Yankumi nodded and called for Minuro. She instructed the fat henchman to prepare the guest room. When he heard that it was for Sawada, he came to him and gave him a hug.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ojou's favorite student!"

Favorite? Sawada stood speechless. He was agaped and looked at Yankumi, puzzled at Minuro's greeting. Since when had he been her favorite student? Yankumi slapped Minuro's head, to which he gave a humble _sumimasen_ for an answer. Then he hurried himself and did what was expected.

"Since you had eaten dinner, maybe you'd like something to drink...oh, Ojisan and I had our drinking session outside. You might want to join us...considering that you're of legal age now to drink sake!"

"Yeah right," was his nonchalant answer. Yankumi chuckled. She then went to her student and disarrayed his hair to a mess. She always did that when she was so proud of her students.

"Eh, Sawada, you still haven't changed a bit! You still have that cool mien of yours!"

"Shut up..."

And Yankumi led her visitor back to the front door, where Kuroda left drinking. Sawada blushed. Yankumi had held his hand. And oh, how smooth her hands are! He tried fighting the urge to take up her hand to his face and caress it with his cheek. Yet that seemed impolite, he was a visitor, and he was around dangerous people. If he did that, the Oedo household would kill him.

Sawada laid on his futon. It was warm, and it gave comfort to his weary soul. For five years, he had endured sleeping on hard wooden floors. Sometimes, mosquitoes or gnats came and bite him. Yet he was glad that he was not assigned to the area where the sleeping sickness was prevalent. And he had also endured building schools, dug wells, and walked from miles to teach. The African weather tanned his fair skin. His palms were roughed from all that manual labor. His body endured it well that he felt he was fit for any manual job there is. He had lived the good life when he was still a kid, but he accepted the challenge. That was the reason he didn't enroll readily at Keio when he passed the entrance exam. School was easy, and it was boring.

Yet, as he laid there tonight, the warmth of the home embraced him. He was no longer a traveler, an overseas worker who had to endure homesickness. He was at home, and he was near Yankumi.

Somehow, he was unable to sleep, though tired was he from his trip. He had had jet lag, yet his eyes betrayed the least symptom of slumber. He got up and went to the window, where he opened it ajar and had a good view of the snow outside. Sometimes, winters aren't good, but it was so beautiful tonight.

So deep was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone coming in his room. The intruder crept silently, walking like a cat. A tap was given on Sawada's shoulder, and when he turned to the direction of the tap, a finger poked his cheek.

"_Baka._"

"Just as I thought."

"Eh?"

"You still had that annoying poke on me, Yankumi...I wonder if you also do that to other students."

"Not that I can think of...I guess I only do that to you, Sawada."

"And why is that?"

Yankumi now scooted herself beside Sawada, gazing to examine his face, then looked outside to the falling snow.

"I don't know, Sawada. I guess it it's just an act of endearment for you..."

Silence ensued. Sawada blinked his eyes in disbelief. Act of endearment? Who was she joking? As if the act as endearing at all...Yet the feeling of being special in her eyes made his heart flutter. He then looked at his former teacher, seeing that she really looked lovely even without the eyeglasses and the dorky side ponies. A classical Japanese beauty was right in front of him. Sawada felt himself blush. He felt himself grow hotter and redder. It was good that it was dark and Yankumi still stared outide, where the lanterns danced in the winter breeze. She wouldn't be able to see him turning red.

"Sawada, why did you return?" Her question hit him hard like a sword, piercing his emotions and cutting short his reverie. Trains of thought of how he'll answer began forming in his brain. And though he was on eloquent speaker, in front of Yankumi, he was speechless.

"I...I... have no idea..."

"_Nani_? That's outrageous. How can you come home and not know the reason why...? There must be a reason... "

"There is indeed a reason, yet, I can't explain...and I can't blurt it out too...i don't know why..."

Yankumi's gaze returned to Sawada and rested on his puzzled look. In his eyes were some things she could not decipher. There were answers waiting to come out at the right time. Then she touched Sawada's face. He was hot, she noted.

"_Daijobou_? Are you having a fever?"

"_I..iie_". He was caught. He stammered

"Sawada, you know and you always have known that whenever you have a problem I'm always here. I'm still you teacher. You could always tell me your problems..."

Sawada sighed."I guess you're right. Yankumi, will you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Will you stop acting like you're still my teacher, and I your student?"

Yankumi got hurt. "_Nan de_?"

Without warning, Sawada held Yankumi's face, moved his face closer to her's, and gave her a long, passionate kiss. The Oedo heiress was shocked at her student's advances. Yet, closing her eyes, she returned his kiss. She can feel herself shivering with happiness, as if the kiss had elicited a vast amount of electricity thru her veins. She ran her fingers to Sawada's hair, grabbing them as the kiss deepened more. She can feel Sawada's hand around her waist, then encircling her with his other hand. She can guess that Sawada was smiling. It took some minutes before they finally broke the kiss.

" Yankumi, no, Kumiko...I had long been in love with you..."

"...Since when...?"

The young man then looked away, resting his gaze on the snow falling silently. The moment was beautiful and there would be no other right time to tell her everything than tonight. Sawada silently thanked Kame-sama for his goodness.

"From the very first time I saw you. This may sound crazy, but at that time, I guess that was still infatuation. You were always annoying, yet, somehow, that didn't deter me from liking you. I've always seen how you acted strangely. When I knew of your background, I was frightened, but it gave me reasons to understand why you acted and spoke the why you did. Noda was the first to notice my passing glances to you. He guessed that I did like you. Then everyone in class knew it. We tried our best not to tell you, and I'm glad we didn't.

Then I left for Africa. All those time, I kept thinking of you. I viewed things in perspective of what was proper. I thought that maybe, it was just a high school crush every guy had on a female teacher. I was still a minor then. I kept thinking that it was improper for me to fall in love with you because of our age differences. I was afraid too that our friendship will be destroyed if you knew. And it was proper for me to forget you. There were other men who were rooting for you, wanting you to be his girlfriend..."

"Yeah, I know one...Kashiwara..."

"...you didn''t know it, Yankumi, but also Shinohara-san..."

"Shinohara-san?" The mere mention of the suave police detective made Yankumi blush. Yet, her feelings suddenly had been enlightened. She felt that her feelings for Shinohara had subsided. Sawada had wanted to include Tetsu, but he kept silent. He didn't want to disgrace Ojou's trusted henchman by divulging his unrequited feelings.

"Time had made me tough, Kumiko. I had suffered much, endured all for the sake of what I wanted to do for my life. Yet, I guess that the search ended there. It was painful for me to leave Africa. Somehow, something beckoned me to come back home. "

Sawada faced her again. He then held Yankumi's hand and kissed it. The teacher smiled. The feelings she had long denied for herself also surfaced that night. She can't deny that she was also in love with Sawada. At first, she felt that she just liked him because he was smart and cool. She had unknowingly divulge his feelings for her by asking him if he liked her. That was when she noticed Sawada looking at her for a few seconds. She had also said that assumption to Tsuchiya when he said that he preferred older women for a lover, to which he stood there agape and Yankumi blushed silly.

"When I arrived here in Japan today, I thought that I'd go back home, or to my apartment, or stay at Kuma's house. When I learned that he was already married and had a kid of his own, I decided not to, since it would be embarrassing for me and his family. Ami brushed it aside, telling me I was a welcomed visitor because I was her husband's bestfriend. I declined, saying that maybe, I had to go see my father and tell him that I'm home.

"Yet, for some unknown reasons, my feet found themselves walking straight here...to my second home..."

Yankumi smiled. Sawada was always a welcome visitor before. She had invited him once to dine with the whole family over hot pot. She had asked him to help her babysit a fellow teacher's son. And he had been to her room once when he asked her not to resign or do anything rash. Calling them his second family comforted her. It gave solace to Sawada's vagabond status.

"When I was at the gate, I was thinking of calling you or anyone. Yet, you were outside, and I was happy. The snow started to fall, and I prayed to the gods that you'll notice me standing by the gate. When you opened the gate, all my happiness poured themselves. I couldn't explain why I was so happy to see you. With that, a resolution came to mind: I would now tell you my feelings for you.

"While I laid in bed, I was thinking of my life over the other side of the world, and here right where you are near me. I was also thinking how I could tell you that I love you. Yet, heaven is so good. You unexpectedly came tonight. Whatever your reasons are, I don't know. You've indeed asked me why I returned, but that question came unnoticed. I felt as if you didn't want me here. But I felt otherwise when I felt your kiss. I felt no reservations whatsoever. What I felt was a kiss who also longed for the one you loved. I didn't care anymore if I had to marry you even with your background..."

"...marry me?" Yankumi piped in, shocked. She saw the answer in his eyes. It was for real, and there was no turning back.

"Of course, but that would be in the long run. I wanted you to be mine. I know I may have no qualifications that would make Ojisan accept me as a member of the Oedo, but I don't care. All I want is for him to come accept me as a formidable suitor for his beloved granddaughter-heiress. I had learned to love your family as well. I don't care if my dad would know about my relationship with you. I have no regrets loving you, Kumiko. You , to me, are the most beautiful woman in the world, no matter how dorky you look..."

"Are you trying to make fun of me?" Yankumi fumed. Sawada touched her lips with his finger.

"I am not kidding around, Kumiko. You are different from the other girls I know: my sister, Ami, and some girl friends of mine in school. Yet, this I know is true... I love you and I always will...forever..and ever..."

"Sawada..."

"Shin, please..." Sawada corrected.

"Shin, thank you for telling me this. It's all that I need to be able to confirm what I also felt for you..."

"You mean...the feeling is..mutual? Since when, Kumiko – "

He was cut short as Yankumi pressed her lips against his own, pining him to the floor, enjoying the happiness she had felt over his revelation. Now she knew why she was so happy over at dinner time. For the love that she thought was gone forever returned to her doorsteps once more, revealing that what they both thought was silly infatuation was indeed love. Absence does make a heart grow fonder.

===end===


End file.
